Cannes Market Dailies

The big screen adaptation of acclaimed stage play rounds out the cast with Sofia Helin, Max Brown and Erin Richards

GSP Studios today announced the film adaptation of the late N.J. Crisp’s renowned 1996 stage play of the same name, THAT GOOD NIGHT, which has begun principal photography with renowned British talent and BAFTA award winner John Hurt (ALIEN, MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, THE ELEPHANT MAN, NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR and TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY) taking the lead alongside Sofia Helin (THE BRIDGE), Erin Richards (GOTHAM, THE QUIET ONES, BEING HUMAN) and Max Brown (AGENT CARTER, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE TUDORS). The film will shoot for five weeks on the Algarve coastline of Portugal. GSP Studios International is also handling worldwide sales.

THAT GOOD NIGHT, which derives its name from the famous Dylan Thomas poem, follows Ralph (played by Hurt), a famed screenwriter coming to terms with his impending death. As he does so, he resolves to attempt two final missions in life; to be reconciled to his long-lost son (Brown), and to ensure he doesn’t become a burden to his wife Anna (Helin) with his slow decline, by hiring a mysterious “Visitor” to help him pass painlessly into “…that good night”.

Directed by award-winning Eric Styles (DREAMING OF JOSEPH LEES, RELATIVE VALUES) THAT GOOD NIGHT has been written for the screen by theatre director and writer for film, stage and television, Charles Savage. The producer of original stage play, Alan Latham (I COULD NEVER BE YOUR WOMAN, DEAD MAN RUNNING), of GSP Studios will produce the feature adaptation alongside Savage. Financing for the film has come through GSP Studios, Red Rock Entertainment and Goldfinch Entertainment.

Director Eric Styles said of the Production: “I’m looking forward to bringing this bittersweet, thought-provoking drama to the big screen. Charles Savage has crafted a beautifully nuanced script and I am very lucky to have such a brilliant cast and crew to help bring this story to life”.

John Hurt shared “I am excited to be a part of this production and very much looking forward to putting all the jigsaw pieces together that make up this fascinating and paradoxical character.”

THAT GOOD NIGHT boasts a strong line-up of talent behind the camera including Director of Photography Richard Stoddard (DR WHO, THE PASSING, BEING HUMAN), Costume Designer Charlotte Morris (LEGENDS, SILENT WITNESS, MERLIN) and Hair and Make-Up Designer Lesley Lamont Fisher (INDIAN SUMMERS, LIFE IN SQUARES, BLACK MIRROR) and Production Designer Humphrey Jaeger (HETTY FEATHER, THE HOARDER). Executive Producers of THAT GOOD NIGHT include Paul Ward, Julian Hicks and Gary Collins.

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Synopsis

Ralph, a once-famous screenwriter, is in his seventies and terminally ill. He has two final missions in life: to ensure he doesn’t become a burden to his younger devoted wife, Anna, and to be reconciled to his long-abandoned son, Michael, as he goes “into that good night”. But Ralph wrecks all hope of reconciliation when he picks a fight with Michael’s girlfriend, Cassie. Later, alone, Ralph receives the sinister and mysterious “Visitor” whose services he has hired to provide the painless ending to his life. But The Visitor plays a devastating trick.

Set in their luxury villa in the remote hilltops that surround the Algarve coastline of Portugal, this bittersweet drama bravely tackles issues of assisted dying, nature and the meaning of life and death. Based on the hugely successful stage play by NJ Crisp, its brilliant and witty arguments address issues that we traditionally avoid.

About GSP Studios

GSP Studios was formed in 2008 by Alan Latham, Kit Monkman and Thomas Mattinson, to facilitate the groundbreaking techniques created to produce the company’s first feature film, The Knife That Killed Me.

Based in North Yorkshire, the company has its own studio facility-offering 3 large stage spaces- and specialises in providing production services, creative and technical visual effects solutions for feature films. The team offer full support to all stages of production, from pre-visualisation, conceptual artwork, shoot supervision, 3D and 2D through to delivery services for the final finished project.

The company has produced over fifteen films including Extremis, a post apocalyptic thriller starring David O’Hara and Isabelle Allen; Dusty & Me, a heart-warming coming of age story set in the 70s starring Luke Newberry, Genevieve Gaunt, Iain Glen and Ian Hart; and The Comedians Guide To Survival starring James Buckley of The Inbetweeners fame. The company now has an annual production slate of 5 - 7 films.

In 2015, GSP Studios launched the distribution and sales arm of the company, GSP Studios International, led by Senior Sales Agent Simon Barnes. GSP International acts as the dedicated international sales department for all films produced under the GSP Studios banner and content is licensed to a wide variety of clients, including theatrical & DVD distributors, broadcasters, Video On Demand channels and in-flight entertainment buyers worldwide.